Razor with an endless band

ABSTRACT

A razor includes a replaceable snap-in cartridge containing a blade in the form of an endless band. The band is moved crosswise to the direction of shaving by gears which are rotated by a traction wheel, the traction wheel being rotated when pulled over the skin.

United States Patent 1191 Hiromura Aug. 13, 1974 RAZOR WITH AN ENDLESS BAND [76] Inventor: Paul Hiromura, 596 Warwick Ave.,

Teaneck, NJ. 07666 [22] Filed: Feb. 2, 1973 [21] App]. No.: 329,100

[52] US. Cl 30/40.l, 30/46, 30/346.5 [51] Int. Cl B26b 21/26, B26b 21/54 [58] Field of Search 30/40.l, 42, 46, 346.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,436,960 11/1922 Jakubiec 30/46 X 1,788,614 1/1931 Blackmore 30/40.1 X 2,601,718 7/1952 Jones 30/40.l

3,363,312 1/1968 Fayed .Q 30/40.1

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 373,372 5/1932 Great Britain 30/40.1

Primary ExaminerA1 Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-Gary L. Smith Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Eliot S. Gerber [57] ABSTRACT A razor includes a replaceable snap-in cartridge containing 21 blade in the form of an endless band. The band is moved crosswise to the direction of shaving by gears which are rotated by a traction wheel, the tractionwheel being rotated when pulled over the skin.

11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures RAZOR WITH AN ENDLESS BAND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At the present time many persons still prefer a blade type of razor to an electric razor, due to its greater convenience, comfort, the closeness of the shave, and the tactile sensation of shaving cream and blade on the face. The research and development to find superior types of blades and forms of razors has been intense for many years because a smoother, less painful, nonirritating and closer shave has been sought by the many inventors and manufacturers in the field.

It has been suggested that a razor may obtain power to drive a flat rectangular shaped blade in a lateral oscillatory direction from a traction wheel. A traction wheel is a geared wheel or friction wheel which is rotated by its friction against the skin as the razor is pulled over the skin. However, such mechanisms have not become widely popular, possibly due to their requirement of too much friction on the face, their complexity and resulting high cost, or the cumbersomeness of changing and cleaning their blades.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance'with the present invention, a razor is presented which has numerous advantages compared to the prior suggested razors. The razor comprises a handle portion adapted to fit in the hand, the handle portion generally being elongated in the direction of normal shaving motion. A head portion is fixed at one end of the handle portion. A traction wheel is rotatably (pivotly) mounted on the head portion and positioned so that it is rotated by friction against the skin as the razor is drawn over the skin. The traction wheel is fixed to a shaft which carries a spiral or beveled gear having gear teeth which mesh with a spiral or beveled gear. The spiral or beveled gears are fixed on spring-loaded shafts which are rotatably mounted on the head portion. The spiral or beveled gear shafts-removably fit into rotatable truncated cone members within the cartridge.

The cartridge member has connection means, preferably slot openings, which enable the cartridge to have a removable and replaceable snap-in attachment with the head portion. The cartridge contains a razor band in the form of an endless ribbon having a single razor edge. That is, the band is a loop as seen in a top view. The band is supported on two separated truncated cones and held taut between the cones. An elongated slit in the cartridge permits one length of the razor edge to protrude, that length of the edge being the cutting portion. The cones are rotatably mounted on spindles within the cartridge and are rotated by the spiral or beveled gears, that is, they are indirectly rotated by the traction wheel. The cutting edge of the blade moves slowly in a direction perpendicular to the direction of shaving motion. Such a crosswise motion provides a close, smooth, non-irritating, rapid and painless shave, when used along with conventional shaving cream or lather and water.

FEATURES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION comprises a handle member having an elongated portion which is elongated in the normal direction of shaving motion. A clamping means is attached to the handle and a cartridge having means to cooperate with said clamping means is removably secured to the handle.

The cartridge contains a razor band in the form of a band in a closed loop, and a plurality of rotatable wheels supporting said blade for movement relative to said wheels. The razor head has a rotatable traction wheel adapted to be rotated by its friction on the face and rotary power transfer means connecting the traction wheel and the rotatable wheels. The razor band is moved crosswise to the direction of shaving during the shaving motion.

It is a further feature that the clamping means comprises a spring and a slider attached to said spring and that the means to cooperate with the clamping means is a plurality of slots in said cartridge.

It is a further feature of the present invention that the razor band has a sharpened edge and an unsharpened edge and a tandem series of holes along the length of the band.

Still further features of the present invention are that at least one of said wheels within the cartridge has a series of projections which mesh with the holes of the band to maintain both tautness in the band and non-slip lateral movement of the band; the wheels within said cartridge are truncated cones mounted on spindles and BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objectives of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description providing the inventors best mode of practicing the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view, partly in cross-section, of the razor of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective'view, partly broken away, of the razor band cartridge;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the sprocketed truncated cone which supports the band;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of one of the traction wheels and its gear connection;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the cartridge;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the cartridge; I

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective bottom view of a portion of the cartridge; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the traction wheel and one-half of its housing.

As shown in FIG. 1, the razor of the present invention is adapted to be held in the hand and to be utilized with conventional shaving methods. For example, as in conventional shaving methods, the face should be washed and lathered using shaving soap or foam lather before utilizing the razor of the present invention on the beard or daily hair growth.

The razor includes a handle portion which is an elongated member adapted to fit in the hand of the user. The handle member 10 has an exterior grooved portion 11 and is preferably molded of a suitable plastic resin. The handle 10 has an imaginary central axis therethrough 9a which is at an angle to the imaginary line 9b which is the extension of the traction head.

A razor band cartridge 12 is adapted to be removably attached (snap-fitted) at the top portion of the razor underneath its head portion 13. The razorband cartridge 12, as shown in FIG. 3, has a pair of top slots 14a and a pair of bottom slots 14b adapted to receive the ends of springs 30, 31 which hold the razor band cartridge within the razor. The razor band cartridge 12 has a top cover 15 having a pair of such spring slots 14a14a and a bottom cover 16 which also has a pair of spring slots 14b-14b. The cartridge 12 has a connecting side wall 47 which extends on all four sides and connects the side and top cover 15 and the bottom cover 16.

An elongated razor band 17, or razor blade steel or any other suitable blade material, is positioned within the razor band cartridge 12. The band 17 is held taut in tension on two truncated cone supports 18a and 1812. These supports 18a and 18b are of the same shape and are shown in FIG. 3. They each have a ring of exteriorly projecting teeth 19 which fit into corresponding holes 20 of the razor band. The top 21 of the cone 18 has a rectangular socket opening 22 which acts as a sprocket opening. The razor band cartridge top 15 has two openings positioned over the cones 18a and 18b, so that the sprocket openings 22 are available for the corresponding sprocket member. An elongated opening 23, facing front, permits the razor edge of the band 17 to protrude through the cartridge for use in shaving.

The cones 18a and 18b are fixed on spindles 24 which freely rotate in openings in the bottom 16. As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of sprocket shafts 26a have ends 25a which are rectangular in cross-section and are adapted to fit within the holes 22. Each of the sprocket shafts 26a are spring-loaded by helical coil springs 27a which are positioned around the shafts and are compressed between the rectangular ends 25a and the spiral or beveled gears 28a. The shafts 26a each have an elongated rib (spline) which locks with a corresponding slot in the interior hole of the spiral or beveled gears 28a so that the shafts may move vertically relative to the gears but will be rotated by the gears.

The spiral or beveled gears 2811 each mesh with a second spiral or beveled gear 29a which is at right angles to the first spiral or beveled gear. The second spiral or beveled gears 29a are respectively integral with, or fixed to, the shafts 51a supporting the traction wheels 50a.

As shown in FIG. 7, the bottom and front of the cartridge 12 has a downwardly extending portion 60 forming an internal channel. The bottom of portion 60 has open slits 61 through which water may pass, permitting the cartridge 12 to be flushed. A wall 62, within the cartridge 12 (see FIG. 5) prevents water from entering the rear of the cartridge. The wall 62 may have a center raised portion which supports the inside back of the front portion of the razor band loop 17.

Preferably, as shown in FIG. 8, each of the traction wheels is within a waterproof casing to prevent water,

hair particles or shaving lather from entering the inside of the razor. The traction wheel a has a tubular axle shielding 52a having an exterior flanged ring 55a extending from each of its ends. The traction wheel shielding consists of a right member 53a and a matching right member (not shown), of the same construction, which fit together and are joined to enclose the traction wheel 50a. A flange ring 56a on the exterior of theaxle shielding 57a of the right member 53a rotatably fits in the groove interior to the flange ring 55a. The only opening 54a is at the front of the casing through which the traction wheel protrudes. If water enters the casing by flowing through opening 540, around the protruding traction wheel, it will be held by the casing. The axle shielding 57a has an internal rect angular bore therethrough which tits on the axle 51a so that rotation of wheel 50a turns the axle 51a.

The top of each shaft 26a is connected to a wire 32a whose other end is connected to the slider 33. The slider moves in a groove and has integral flanges to retain it within the groove. The slider, upon release downward motion, pulls upwardly the shafts 26a within their internally splined gears 28a. At the same time the slider 33 pulls the ends of springs 30, 31 from the slots, thereby releasing the cartridge.

The top of the cartridge is provided with two grooves 40,41 whose side walls converge towards the front (the blade end) of the cartridge. These grooves 40,41 are used to align the sprocket shaft ends 25a so that they will fit into their respective sprocket openings 22a when the cartridge has been inserted. The converging walls of the grooves 40,41 will turn the shaft ends 25a to their correct alignment by coaction between the grooves and sprocket ends. During the insertion of the cartridge the sprocket ends are within their respective grooves and the grooves move relative to the sprocket ends, causing a turning of those ends. The sprocket ends are, in cross-section, elongated rectangles to match the sprocket holes 22, see FIG. 3.

I claim:

1. A razor comprising a handle member having an elongated portion, clamping means attached to said handle, a cartridge having means to cooperate with said clamping means to removably secure said cartridge to said handle member, a razor band in the form of a band formed in an endless and closed loop, a plurality of rotatable wheels within said cartridge and supporting said blade for movement relative to said wheels, a rotatable traction wheel rotatable by its friction on the face, and

. power transfer means connecting said traction wheel and said rotatable wheels, and moving said razor band constantly crosswise to the direction of shaving during the shaving motion by the constant rotation of said traction wheel by friction on the face.

2. A razor as in claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises a spring and a slider attached to said spring.

7. A razor as in claim 1 wherein said wheels within said cartridge are truncated cones mounted on spindles ably connect said shaft with said rotatable wheel within said cartridge.

10. A razor as in claim 9 wherein said shaft has a spring nonnally urging it into connection with said rotatable wheel, and said shaft is connected to a slider mounted for sliding motion on said razor.

11. A razor as in claim 10 wherein said slider is also connected to said clamping means. 

1. A razor comprising a handle member having an elongated portion, clamping means attached to said handle, a cartridge having means to cooperate with said clamping means to removably secure said cartridge to said handle member, a razor band in the form of a band formed in an endless and closed loop, a plurality of rotatable wheels within said cartridge and supporting said blade for movement relative to said wheels, a rotatable traction wheel rotatable by its friction on the face, and power transfer means connecting said traction wheel and said rotatable wheels, and moving said razor band constantly crosswise to the direction of shaving during the shaving motion by the constant rotation of said traction wheel by friction on the face.
 2. A razor as in claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises a spring and a slider attached to said spring.
 3. A razor as in claim 2 wherein said means to cooperate with said clamping means is a plurality of slots in said cartridge.
 4. A razor as in claim 1 wherein said band has a sharpened edge and an unsharpened edge.
 5. A razor as in claim 1 wherein said band has a tandem series of holes along the length of the band.
 6. A razor as in claim 5 wherein at least one of said wheels within the cartridge has a series of projections which mesh with the holes of said band.
 7. A razor as in claim 1 wherein said wheels within said cartridge are truncated cones mounted on spindles and having sprocket holes at their tops.
 8. A razor as in claim 1 wherein said traction wheel has a grooved surface.
 9. A razor as in claim 1 wherein the power transfer means includes a first spiral or beveled gear fixed for rotation with said traction wheel, a second spiral or beveled gear mounted on a shaft, and means to removably connect said shaft with said rotatable wheel within said cartridge.
 10. A razor as in claim 9 wherein said shaft has a spring normally urging it into connection with said rotatable wheel, and said shaft is connected to a slider mounted for sliding motion on said razor.
 11. A razor as in claim 10 wherein said slider is also connected to said clamping means. 